The Climate and Energy package of the European Union
May 14
At the end of April has finally concluded the co-decision procedure
(Article 251 EC), on the climate and energy package, with the
formal approval of the European Parliament.
The package is the result of a fruitful dialogue between the
various European institutions, which ended with the agreement of
April 6 in the European Council, that adopted the amendments tabled
by Parliament on December 17.
The climate and energy package is made up of several acts, notably
by three directives: the first reviews the EU emissions trading
system (EU ETS), which covers about 40% of greenhouse gas emissions
of the EU, the second establishes binding national targets on
increasing the share of renewable sources in the energy mix and the
third sets out a legal framework to ensure a safe and
environmentally correct use of technologies to capture and store
carbon dioxide (CCS).
With the adoption of this package, Europe will be the first region
in the world to implement targets for climate and energy so
far-reaching and legally binding.